Falcons $26.7 million under cap, can pursue Jairus Byrd

The free agency picture became a little clearer with the passing of the franchise and transition tag deadline on Monday.

The biggest news of the day was that Buffalo safety Jairus Byrd, a three-time Pro Bowl defensive back, was not tagged and appears to have a clear path to the open market.

The Falcons now have 53 players signed, but counting the top 51, per league rules, the Falcons are at $113.3 million against the cap, according to National Football League Players Association documents. The cap for next season will increase to $133 million.

Once the $7 million slot that Tony Gonzalez is holding is removed, the Falcons will have

The Falcons can also renegotiate some contracts to create additional room. For instance, wide receiver Roddy White’s salary-cap number of $6.3 million and left guard Justin Blalock’s salary-cap number of $7.6 million could be reduced with a two- or three-year extension.

The Falcons, who have elected not to use the franchise or transition tag this offseason, have entered into contract talks with defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux, defensive tackle Corey Peters and center/guard Joe Hawley.

The Falcons,who have cut Asante Samuel, Stephen Nicholas and Garrett Reynolds, could elect to part ways with more veterans. Free safety Thomas DeCoud ($4.2 million) is the most likely candidate if they are able to sign Byrd in free agency.

The Bills have until March 11 to re-sign Byrd. The Falcons and other teams can start negotiating with Byrd’s agent, Eugene Parker on Saturday. They couldn’t sign him until Monday.

Parker represents Falcons running back Steven Jackson, who signed with the team during free agency last season.

Here are five possible free agent targets for the Falcons:

1. Jairus Byrd, safety, Buffalo. He has played five seasons with the Bills, since being selected in the second-round (42nd overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft. He’s a three-time Pro Bowler and has 22 career interceptions. In the Falcons’ 34-31 victory over the Bills on Dec. 1 in Toronto, Byrd had nine tackles. He played last season under the franchise tag and was the eighth ranked safety in the league, according to profootballfocus.com. DeCoud was the 83rd ranked safety last season. Defensive end Greg Hardy previously held the top spot but Carolina slapped the franchise tag on him.

2. Michael Johnson, defensive end, Cincinnati: The former Georgia Tech standout has the high FBI (Football Intelligence) that the Falcons like. He had 11.5 sacks in 2012, but his numbers dipped to 3.5 sacks last season. He also had 10 pass deflections in 2013. Center Alex Mack of Cleveland previously held the No. 2 spot, but he received the transition tag from the Browns.

3. Michael Bennett, defensive end, Seattle: After signing a one-year, $5 million deal, Bennett, 28, is hoping to strike a lucrative deal. He led the Super Bowl champs with 8.5 sacks and was one of the top rated defensive end in the league last season. Bennett played 617 snaps and had 17 quarterback this and 39 quarterback pressures last season, according to analytics site, profootballfocus.com. Defensive end Osi Umenyiora led the Falcons with seven sacks, four quarterback hits and 29 pressures last season.

4. Branden Albert, T, Kansas City: He’d have to be fine with playing right tackle because the Falcons believe that Sam Baker is their left tackle. He played 12 games at left tackle last season and was the 28th ranked tackle in the league, according to profootballfocus.com. He had nine penalties, gave up four sacks, five quarterback hits and eight hurries. Trueblood started 12 games at right tackle and was the 53rd rated tackle in the league. Lamar Holmes started 13 games at left tackle and three at right tackle. He was the 75th rated tackle in the league.

5. Randy Starks, DT, Miami: Starks, 30, is a two-time Pro Bowler, who could anchor the defensive line at 6-foot-3, 305 pounds. He was the seventh ranked defensive tackle in the league last season by profootballfocus.com. He had four sacks, six quarterback hits and 30 quarterback hurries. He’s also stout against the run.

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@devounknown1000
- I like your ideas. Bryd at FS would improve the defense a bunch. I
like Eugene Monroe for an OT spot. Last year, the Falcons picked two CBs
the first two picks. This year, let's make it OT Greg Robinson, then
Guard Xavier Su'a-Filo. Third round, take 6-3, 225 lb, Ole Miss speedster WR Donte Moncrief. Next, take an OLB because Weatherspoon can't be counted on to play the whole season.Get more DL help from FA.

if you ask me pters and even babinaux we can take a wiff on, they are hustlers but im getting wary waiting on them, lets get new blood in here, one lb I definitely want the falcons to look at is karlos dansby

@SEEN.... You want the falcons to offer Jimmy Graham that kind of money ? The falcons would have to give up 2 first round draft picks in return to the Saints... Are you serious? If so, you are dumber than I thought..

I would not waste a penny on Byrd. Atlanta knows where they are weakest (offensive and defensive lines) and should spend the money to get Asamoah (OG) and potentially Geoff Schwartz. Use the first two picks in the draft on strengthening up the front seven on defense.

What the falcan'ts should do, if they were smart, would be to offer Jimmy Graham a 5 year, $65 million contract, fully guaranteed, as soon as free agency started. But, they won't do that, cause they're dimwits at Flowery Branch.

I would choose the Offensive Tackle, but Sam Baker is the X-Factor of that choice, because I don't want a guy to come in to play Right Tackle, when he has excelled at left Tackle, and wonder why he struggle at Right Tackle, when he gets here.

Seattle signed some fine FA's last year at reasonable cost. These guys made the difference in their season. They stayed away from the high $ guys and scouted their butts off. That sounds like a plan my Falcons should be following with more enthusiasm.

Last year the Cap was $10M less, a lot of players got squeezed. This year, the players know the lay of the land. The really good players in the UFA period are going to leverage that knowledge. Cheap will be problems and scrubs this time.

Other than Byrd, I don't want any of those guys, we should stay away from FA and build this teams through the draft.

Mike Johnson went from 11+ sacks to 3.5 sacks after Geno Atkins got injured, well, if he comes to the Falcons there will be no Geno Atkins on the DL to free MJ up to make sacks.

The same with Bennett, playing for Seattle surrounded by 10 other "beasts" on defense allows him to put up Stats for Seattle that he will never be able to put up in Atl. because he won't be surrounded by the same talent.

Be very wary of FA signings, remember what happened when Alvin Harper-WR left the Cowboys in the mid-90s.

FA signings should be plug-n-play type guys like RBs, QBs, and players like that, other than Byrd all those guys above are "system guys" and the Falcons should stay away from them.

WHY do the Falcons keep saying that Sam Baker is our LT for the foreseeable future?

If the GM for the Falcons believes that, then we have no chance to win a SB, Baker might be the 32nd ranked starting LT among all 32 teams.

Like we always say: "line play dictates the ability to have a true vertical passing game!" Mike Sherman is again where he deserves to be, away from play calling! They are like the Falcons, they need to get a real offensive line!

All good points but I'm not simply referencing the lines. Remember we only have one credible linebacker too ... and he can't stay on the field. I don't care if you're Decoud, Byrd, or Ronnie Lott. If you're playing behind what we have now you will be exposed. Period.

When you have $28.8 million to spend, you can afford a DL/OL + DB (or any position you really want for that matter) in free agency and then address the remainder (either the DL/OL) with the #6 pick (which will be an instant starter and potential play maker). You can also resign veterans like Peters, Babs, and Hawley at reasonable prices.

@Rijker@MikeMixon Glad to hear Atlanta is bringing back Peters, so they may be able to spend on getting some help up front with one DL and one OL. I just think that when it comes to Byrd he doesn't fill the immediate need. With a better defensive front seven it could help DeCoud and the rest of the secondary. It's kinda hard to cover guys consistently when there is no pass rush to put pressure on the QB.

For the life of me, I can't understand how knowledgable Falcons fans can continue to clamor for an OT in FA & continue to ignore the disaster that was OG. Say we spend big on an OT in FA...who do we draft or plug in that'll be ready to roll at OG for next season? Read my lips folks, with a draft deep in OT's, we are not (at least should not) signing an OT in FA. We will (at least we should) sign an OG. As bad as Baker & Holmes were at the OT position, Konz & Reynolds were worse at OG.

And please, for the love of Ray Edwards, stay away from Michael Johnson. As a team in desperate need of difference-making pash rushers, I'll pass on a guy with only one double digit sack season.

Dled, glad to hear about the early contracts talks with BAB and Peters...I thought those was two guys on the DL...we had to resign...Peters kind of concerns me...because of the injuries...BUT he's a playmaker...so is BAB!

Sign as many quality offensive linemen as possible and then draft a few to boot. We are really fine everywhere else on offense.

On defense:

Sign Michael Johnson AND draft a pass rusher at #6. We need as much help as possible on the D-line. While a good player like Byrd would be nice, we can afford to be average in the secondary if our front is strong. When I say pass rusher, I'm talking an end, tackle, or linebacker. ANYONE who can help out the pass rush. You can get creative and move guys around in different packages, but you HAVE to have the guys who can get to the QB.

The survey above should have a none of the above. We need two OLineman and they don't need to be the top two guys available. The 3rd and 4th best available would be a huge upgrade for our line and will save a little money. Then we can go after Defensive help. I don't think a Safety is our biggest need. We need to address the Defensive line first. My free agent want list;

[…] According to D. Orlando Ledbetter, of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Atlanta Falcons will be $26.7 million under budget for next season once Tony Gonzalez‘s $7 million slot is removed. With all of this money, Thomas Dimitroff should have a lot of flexibility in landing some of the team’s 2014 free agent targets. […]

[…] lineman Joe Hawley and veteran defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux and Corey Peters. Yesterday, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the Falcons have started contract negotiations with all three of those free agents, and it […]